


Gemstones on the Prairie

by Burgie



Series: SSO Wild West AU [20]
Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/F, Wild West AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-04-17
Packaged: 2020-01-15 10:00:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18496645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: After Louisa returns home from her adventure, Lisa has a surprise for her.





	Gemstones on the Prairie

In the time that Louisa had been away, Lisa had done her best to put her own personal touch on the ranch. Or, at the very least, to make it more homey. Louisa had tried to before she’d left, but she’d been busy trying to train Trouble or taking on extra work at Jorvik Stables to pay for builders to come in and fix up the broken-down stables and fences. At the moment, the ranch only had one stable in good condition, not that it was used much. Since Goldie’s disappearance, Louisa had insisted on keeping Trouble in the paddock closest to the ranch house so that she could always keep an eye on him, Lisa doing the same with Starshine. Thankfully, the weather had been good enough for that.

But Lisa’s additions included her guitar set up in a room with Louisa’s writing desk (perhaps someday it would be converted to a nursery, but not yet, and anyway, the desk and guitar could still stay in there), several vases of sunflowers and various wild flowers that grew around the region, and some portraits of Goldie and Starshine that Lisa had commissioned. 

The changes had continued outside, as Louisa had discovered upon awakening the morning after her homecoming. Not only was there a path of stones leading from the back door, but there was also a vegetable garden on one side of the path and an herb garden on the other side of the path, beneath the kitchen window. And there were actual flowers in windowboxes that Lisa had set up. And, right at the end of the path, beyond the clothesline, there was a chicken coop.

“Chickens?” Louisa asked her girlfriend, looking up with a smile as she held one of the clucking birds in her hands.

“What can I say?” said Lisa, shrugging. “I got lonely.” Louisa laughed, her shoulders shaking.

“Not much for you to do when I’m gone, huh?” said Louisa.

“I wanted you to come home to a nice place,” said Lisa. “And don’t worry, I paid for it all out of my own pockets.”

“That was sweet of you,” said Louisa. She bent down, putting the chicken back on the ground so it could run off to join its brethren. “I like what you’ve done with the place, too. It’s… homey.”

“I did always say I wanted to make a life with you,” said Lisa. She looked down at herself, and Louisa saw the flash of something in her eyes. “Let’s have breakfast? I’ll cook, I’m sure you want nothing more than a home-cooked meal after being on the road so long.”

“Yes please,” said Louisa, choosing to ignore Lisa’s odd mood for a moment. “Campfire food is nice and all, and some of the inns have really good meals, but I’ve really missed your cooking.”

“Hey, I’ve missed yours too,” said Lisa. “Without you, I’d starve to death or burn the place down for sure. But don’t worry, I can handle eggs, bacon, and toast. And hey, we even have farm fresh eggs now.” She grinned, Louisa mirroring her grin. Lisa had missed that grin so much, the way it made Louisa’s face crinkle up in just the right way and her eyes shine.

As soon as Louisa closed the gate to the chicken coop behind her, Lisa pulled her in for a kiss, her lips meeting Louisa’s as if they’d never been apart. And, while the night before had been spent making up for lost time and relearning each others bodies, Lisa still couldn’t get enough of her girlfriend.

“Maybe you should train an apprentice and come with me on my next adventure,” Louisa said, holding Lisa’s hand as they walked back up the path and up the few steps into the house. The back porch had had a little work done, too, the boards now fresh with a porch swing and a few plants dotted around here and there. There was even a basket or two, for collecting flowers or eggs or going on spur of the moment picnics or even just for holding stray cats and their babies.

“Believe me, I’m planning to,” said Lisa. “I know it was only a week or so but I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” said Louisa. “It was probably better that I went alone, though, seeing a couple probably would’ve rubbed it in for Daine.”

“You’re right,” said Lisa. “But I’m glad he had a happy ending. And Emma, too.”

“Now I just need to set my sights on finding someone for Emma to love,” said Louisa, steepling her fingers together. Lisa could only laugh.

“Babe, not everyone needs or wants to be coupled up,” said Lisa, nudging her.

“I know,” said Louisa. “But I’m just so happy with it and I want others to be happy too.”

“Just don’t force it,” said Lisa. But she agreed with her girlfriend. Her possibly-more, if Louisa would agree to it. Which she would, but… was proposing over breakfast too soon? Should they go for a ride? But then Trouble might ruin things. The chicken coop had been perfect, but Lisa hadn’t thought to take the ring with her.

Once inside, Lisa excused herself for a moment, heading to the bedroom to retrieve the ring, which she slipped into the pocket of her work trousers. Since the Battle of New Jorvik, trousers had become a more common sight on women, especially given the fact that someone could need to run at any moment.

“You look good there,” Louisa said, her chin in her hands with her elbows resting on the table that she sat at as she watched Lisa cook breakfast for her.

“I should hope so,” said Lisa, flashing a grin at her. “You’ve cooked for me so many times, now it’s my turn to return the favour.” Though she had also cooked dinner last night, a hearty stew so that Louisa could have a good meal upon arriving home. Besides, Lisa didn’t trust herself to cook a typical meat and three veg meal, that was more Louisa’s territory.

As Lisa made coffee for her girlfriend, she considered slipping the ring into it but then decided against it. She didn’t want her girlfriend to choke on it. For that same reason, she didn’t slip it into the food.

Instead, breakfast was eaten with no great ceremony other than the ‘ta-da!’ that Lisa trilled as she set the plate down in front of her girlfriend. But that was okay too.

“We should go somewhere today,” said Lisa while she ate her own breakfast. Her stomach was in knots, but she still managed to eat.

“Are you sure?” Louisa asked. “What if you’re needed?”

“Eiren used to be a doctor in the bigger town that she came from, she’ll do in a pinch,” said Lisa. “I just want to spend some quality time with my girl after she was away so long.” Louisa blushed but didn’t protest, thankfully.

“I’ll saddle up Trouble and we’ll head out?” Louisa asked. Lisa nodded. There was a nice prairie not too far from here that would make the perfect place.

“You can even take some writing materials if you want and I’ll take my guitar,” said Lisa. “That is, as long as Trouble doesn’t ruin it.” They’d both laughed themselves silly last night over Louisa recounting Trouble’s antics while on her trip.

“He’s lucky he didn’t get ink in his coat,” said Louisa. “Just egg. And I think that might’ve actually been good for him. How can a horse so mischievous be so lucky?” She shook her head. “I just don’t get it.”

“Some horses have all the luck,” said Lisa.

“I’m glad for it, though,” said Louisa. “I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to him.” And it hurt, to not have Goldie here for the engagement. Maybe Lisa should wait until he got home… but no. Who knew how long that would take? And who knew what could happen in the meantime, what could happen even tomorrow? Lisa had learned, in her time living in New Jovik, that life could change in an instant. Best to propose as soon as possible in the best way possible. Besides, Goldie could come to the wedding, he could be in charge of pulling their wagon or carriage or however they left the rebuilt church.

“I can put the ink in Starshine’s saddlebags to keep it safe,” said Lisa. Louisa had a typewriter too now, but that was too heavy to carry around. She could just make notes about the native plants and wildlife on the prairie, or the sights seen or things experienced on the ride there.

“Thank you,” said Louisa, flashing her girlfriend a grin as she rose from the table and headed outside. It was always an effort to get Trouble ready, and then convincing him to behave was something else entirely.

Starshine, however, was ready and waiting with Lisa by the time Louisa returned with her horse.

“You ready to go?” Lisa asked. She looked nervous, though Louisa didn’t say anything about it.

“Sure am,” said Louisa. “Even this boy’s ready, by some miracle.” Trouble’s ears were pricked towards Starshine and Lisa, which immediately set Lisa on edge. What was he planning? Could he sense something?

“Then let’s go,” said Lisa, swinging herself up into Starshine’s saddle. She’d already locked the house up and ensured that the chickens were similarly contained, watered and fed, and the ring was still securely tucked into the pocket of her trousers. She’d checked and rechecked several times, even turned the trousers inside out to ensure that there was no hole in this pocket.

The two headed out from the ranch, enjoying the sun on their faces as they chatted about everything. What Lisa had been up to while Louisa had been away, what sights Louisa had seen, any new diseases that Lisa had come across or lives she’d saved, what the townspeople had been up to. And there were, of course, observations about pretty flowers and pretty birds or nicely-shaped clouds that they saw on their ride.

And then, at last, they reached the prairie, and Lisa dismounted perhaps a touch too hastily. Starshine covered for her stumble, though, and Lisa was able to reassure her worried girlfriend that she was fine.

“It’s beautiful here,” Louisa said once Lisa had settled.

“I like to come out here to practice my music,” said Lisa, removing her guitar from where it had been attached to the saddlebag. She tuned it a little, then began strumming a tune and humming. Louisa closed her eyes and smiled, enjoying the melody, before she removed the jars of ink from Lisa’s saddlebags and retrieved the paper and quill from her own saddlebags.

For several minutes, the two sat in near-silence on rocks on the prairie, Louisa writing while Lisa played and sang, the melody of her voice and music swirling around Louisa and providing the perfect accompaniment to her writing. So caught up was she in her writing that it took Louisa a while to realise that the words were actually lyrics. A love song that Louisa had heard before, of a lovelorn rancher waiting for their love to return from an adventure. But at the last refrain, the words changed just enough for Louisa to notice. And as she turned to look at Lisa, she found that her girlfriend was holding a ring.

“And though you’ve travelled so far and wide, and though you come from the sea, I hope and I pray that you’ll marry me,” Lisa sang, her voice trembling slightly. Her eyes held Louisa’s, and Louisa could only nod, trembling all over.

“Yes,” said Louisa, tears overflowing her eyes. She hurried towards her girlfriend, throwing her arms around her.

“Yes, Lisa, of course I’ll marry you,” Louisa wept, shaking as she hugged Lisa to her tightly. She pulled away just long enough for Lisa to slip the ring, a cluster of emeralds and rubies and sapphires and one diamond on a gold band, onto Louisa’s finger. It fit perfectly.

“Oh, thank goodness,” said Lisa in a rush, wiping tears from her own eyes. She couldn’t seem to stop grinning, and she knew that Louisa felt the same just from the look of her. Louisa couldn’t stop looking at her ring.

“How long have you had this?” Louisa asked, grinning.

“I got it while you were away but I’ve been planning it for ages,” said Lisa. “Since you bought that ranch and insisted that I move in with you. That’s when I knew that I wanted a future with you.”

“Then I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t run off with Daine,” Louisa teased, referring to the gossip they’d both heard around town since her return. Lisa laughed at her.

“I know you better than that, I didn’t believe them for a second,” said Lisa, holding Louisa in her arms. “And now, you’re mine forever.” She pulled Louisa’s face towards hers for a kiss that Louisa gladly gave.

“Whatever shall I do?” Louisa asked, and laughed. “Tied to the one I love for the rest of time?”

“I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” said Lisa. Her heart felt like it was exploding with love.

“Me neither,” said Louisa. And, while Trouble tried to eat the paper that Louisa had discarded and Starshine tried to stop him, the two women shared another kiss. The first of many as an engaged couple.


End file.
